I can't get Garmin Mobile PC to see my Garmin GPSMAP 76. Is there any way that I can do this?

Do you have the "software only" version of Mobile PC or did your's come with a receiver?

I just tried Garmin's nRoute program using a Garmin GPSMap 76 connected to my desktop using the serial cable that came with the Map 76 (plugged into the serial port on my computer) (my computer has a serial port, it's old enough)...

It works fine with Garmin's nRoute program. I can't try it with my copy of Mobile PC as mine is the version that came with a GPS 20x so it will only work with that receiver.

Check your output of your Map 76 by going to the Main Menu, Setup, Interface tab (furthest right). Set it to "Garmin" for nRoute. Set it to NMEA for Mobile PC. Mobile PC will probably work with it set to "Garmin" as well but I can't gaurantee it as Garmin has made some odd programming decisions in the coding of Mobile PC.

The GPSMAP76 should work fine with nRoute as long as nRoute can "see" the COM port that the MAP76 is sending the data on and the MAP76 is set to Garmin mode.

I have successfully used nRoute with a variety of receivers on my full size Acer laptop and my Acer Aspire One netbook. Both of these do not have real serial ports.

I have used my eTrex Legend HCx. nRoute will find it directly on the USB port, sends a command to put it into Garmin mode and works happily with it.

The GPS10x is Bluetooth so it ends up on a virtual COM port created by the Bluetooth driver. I tell nRoute which COM port to use, it finds the GPS10x, sends a command to switch it to Garmin mode and everything works fine.

The i.Trek M7 is Bluetooth. The Globalsat BU-353 and Pharos 500 are USB receivers. All three have to be used with GPSGate. GPSGate finds them and creates a virtual COM port that outputs Garmin protocol that nRoute is happy to work with.

The software-only version of Mobile PC refuses to work with Garmin receivers if it sees that they are Garmin receivers. I have tried both my Etrex Legend HCx and my GPS10x. Mobile PC sees both of them just fine but absolutely refuses to use them. I'm pretty comfortable that this behaviour applies to all Garmin receivers.

The only way to get Mobile PC to use my two Garmin receivers is to run GPSGate and make Mobile PC use one of the non-Garmin virtual COM ports that GPSGate creates.

Mobile PC, software-only version, works directly with all three of my non-Garmin receivers. No GPSGate necessary.

...ken...

Ken,
I know there has been problems with Mobile PC and handheld Garmin receivers. However, I use my 10x all the time with any of my computers running Mobile PC software-only under 2 different licenses. I have never had a problem with Mobile PC and the 10x. Here it is on my HP tablet (W7). Do you really have issues with it?

Terry

Attached Images

GMPCwith10x.jpg (109.3 KB)

I get that screen, too. That's why I say that it finds them just fine but it refuses to use them. This applies to both the Legend HCx and the GPS10x.

If I go to the satellite info screen it never displays a location fix. The satellite bars change occasionally and the satellite constellation is displayed.

If I go to the map screen it says it's searching. It never says it's ready to navigate. If I run it in the vehicle while I'm moving it occasionally updates the position. It only updates the map display every few blocks and the update is usually at least a block or two behind where I really am.

Are you sure yours really works or are you just assuming it does because you get that screen?

...ken...

That scares me! If this one breaks, I guess I won't buy a new one. Is yours the same version 2.20? If not, I'll make sure not to update it ever.

Terry

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Map10x.jpg (127.5 KB)

Yes, it's the same version. Here's what I get when Mobile PC software-only v5.00.60 discovers the Bluetooth GPS receiver. After discovery, after I click "OK", the behaviour is as described above.

If I run GPSGate, Mobile PC works just fine with it. But it runs from a virtual COM port instead of directly from Bluetooth and it does not recognize the GPS10x at all. It just sees a generic NMEA device.

...ken...

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ScreenShot005.jpg (27.9 KB)

I see the BT version is newer; mine is 2.60. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Unfortunately, that's firmware so a little difficult to change.

Terry

I doubt that the Bluetooth stack in the receiver has anything to do with it. From the behaviour of Mobile PC, my bet is still on code in the program that is intentionally refusing to use any Garmin device. As you can see, Mobile PC recognizes that it's a 10x and even picks up its settings and battery charge level correctly. Clearly it could use it if it chose to.

Are you using ProITM's modded version of 5.00.50? I have also tried it with the same results I posted above, for both of my Garmin receivers. It behaves exactly the same way as the unmodded software.

I'm truly puzzled why you can get your 10x to work with Mobile PC and I can't. I'm going to have to bug Garmin again.

...ken...

I am not using the modified file. In fact, I used the 10x with my UMPC right after the original GPS10 blew up trying to upgrade itself when it saw Mobile PC last April. I was probably still running 5.00.00 at the time. I do recall the GPS10 gave a similar message but it didn't last long enough to track down.

The 10x has never had that problem. The only difference I can see is both my Mobile PC DVDs are 5.00.00. Yours may be newer.I have used the 10x with every version of Mobile PC on an assortment of PCs running XP Home, XP Tablet, Vista and Windows 7 RC.

I can't see any other variable but the BT version. However, I can't test that. I will drag out my GPS18 serial and try it as soon as I can arrange a 12v source but I seem to recall the eMap worked as did the SPIII. Of course, they are all serial. Time to test them again I guess.

Terry

My DVD has the 5.00.10 version. Perhaps that's the difference. I really can't see how the Bluetooth stack would make any difference. Besides, it does the same thing with my eTrex Legend HCx. It reports that it's an eTrex Legend HCx and reports all the software version information correctly. The Legend is a USB connection.

...ken...

I will have to see if anyone locally has a Garmin handheld with a USB connection to test this further. It has got to be something esoteric and I would like to track it down. However, as I said the original 10 did give that message.

Terry

There are 3 versions of GMPC

1. GMPC with 20x or 10x
2. Software only
3. "Downloaded"

The patch is for version 3 downloaded 5.00.50 and 5.00.60 and works for eTrex and others Garmin usb.
I don't have version 1 or 2 for testing the patch.

I think GMPC enable a 10x or not from "Device ID"
10x sold with GMPC device ID enabled (hardware version)
10x sold without GMPC device ID disabled

That is the issue, ProITM. I purchased my 10x with XT before Mobile PC was even sold - much less with the 10x. It works with either of the software only versions of Mobile PC I have with no complaint.

Terry

I have never been able to get the patched version to work with my eTrex Legend HCx.

I have renamed it "ProITM.exe" and the size is 6,069,336 bytes.

The "Que.exe" file for v5.00.60 is 6,073,432 bytes.

I can't understand why there would be any difference between 1, 2 or 3 at version 5.00.50 or 5.00.60 because they would all be the same file downloaded from Garmin's site. The only difference is that I would just run the downloaded file and it will install automatically over my existing older version. For someone without an existing installation, you need to extract and run the .msi file to create the "trial" version.

The result is exactly the same: we will both end up with the same Que.exe file installed in the GarminMobilePC folder. That would be the file that you patched, yes?

Am I misunderstanding something?

...ken...

I just did some more testing to make sure I had everything set up the way it should be. I went back and read ProITM's original thread again. I discovered a couple of things. The first thing I discovered was that I did not have the 5.00.60 version of ProITM.exe. So I downloaded and installed it.

Same behaviour. Still won't work with my Legend HCx. The behaviour is still exactly as I described in this post in the original thread.

http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/995-garmin-mobile-pc-garmin-usb-gps#post6499

The other thing I discovered, I reported at one point in the original thread that my GPS10x was working with Mobile PC. As I've been discussing with Terry, it sure doesn't work any longer. Same behaviour as the Legend HCx. Unfortunately I did not document the version of Mobile PC I was using at the time.

Now that I have the 5.00.60 version of ProITM.exe in place I tested the GPS10x again, but it still doesn't work, either. Same behaviour as the Legend.

I confess that this whole thing has me completely baffled.

...ken...